


I hold you up, this light of day

by VarjoRuusu



Series: For Who Are We to Say [4]
Category: The Blacklist (TV)
Genre: F/M, G with one slightly PG-13 line at the end, It's finally over, Ten years after part one, final part
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-15
Updated: 2016-04-15
Packaged: 2018-06-02 09:01:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6560215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VarjoRuusu/pseuds/VarjoRuusu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“It's over, Lizzy, it's all over,” Red said tiredly, kissing her forehead as he held her shoulders. “I am now officially retired.”</p><p>“Really?” No more disappearing in the middle of the night, no more missions, no more guns, money, none of it?” she asked, wide eyed. </p><p>“Nothing. We can move wherever you want and we can stay there for the rest of our lives. I promise.”</p><p>Part 4/4 of For Who Are We to Say series. This one cannot be read alone, it makes no sense without the others. Thanks for reading!</p>
            </blockquote>





	I hold you up, this light of day

“Cordelia Jennifer Reddington! Put that down right now!” Liz shouted. Corde ignored her mother, running across the lawn at full speed, her brother tailing behind her and trying to take back his plastic tricycle that was held out of his reach in Corde's hands.

“No fair!” Sam shouted, waving his hands in the air, trying to reach the toy his older sister was holding just far enough that he could touch it but not grab it.

“Corde, what have I told you about taking your brothers things?” Liz asked as she stormed down the porch, her third and youngest child on her hip, watching his two older siblings squabble.

“He ran over my foot with it,” Corde complained, sticking her tongue out at Sam.

“You stuck your foot under it,” Sam said, returning the gesture.

Liz sighed. At ten and seven, Corde and Sam had entered the stage of sibling-hood where everything had become a rivalry. They fought almost constantly when Red was away, and Red had been away more often then not the last few months. Aaron, at two, didn't understand why his siblings were always chasing each other and not playing with him.

“Corde, Sam, go to your rooms. No one is playing with that thing until your father gets home,” Liz said sternly. Both children stuck their tongues out at each other as they stomped away from each other and Liz sighed, cuddling Aaron close.

She wondered again where Red was. He had been silent and secretive for almost a year now, spending more and more time away from her and their children. She hadn't seen or heard from Dembe in six months, the same from Kate. Samar was back with Mossad and oddly enough Aram had gone with her, though since they were married it probably wasn't that odd. He worked as an official liaison to the FBI, just as Samar had been a liaison to Mossad. Cooper was director of the FBI and Donald had left his job to work for interpol, to help Red track down the remnants of the Cabal, their ranks thinned after ten years, but not gone.

“Damnit, Red,” she muttered, glancing at Aaron, now asleep on her shoulder. He was so much like his father, he could sleep anywhere. “I need you home.”

They had settled in Italy after Aaron's birth, Red finally capitulating to Liz's desire to raise her children in one house, not all over the world. It didn't matter that both Corde and Sam had private tutors since they could talk and both could speak five or six languages, she wanted them to have some semblance of normalcy.

Red's word had held true for a long time after they had married, they were a formidable force together or apart, but over the years, the players changed. New blood came in, no experience, no fear, and the danger began to creep back. Things had began to go wrong, small deals cut off, an assassination attempt in Cairo. She and Red had spent most of her third pregnancy on the run in South America while Dembe disappeared deep into the throng of India with Corde and Sam. After the latest round of threats were eliminated, they disappeared deep into the Italian Alps.

She was tired, so tired. It had been fine at first, she was able to keep up with Red and his globetrotting, learned his empire, became just as powerful and dangerous, but after Aaron had been born she wanted out, she wanted to stop. She wanted to sit back and watch her children grow up, read a good book, have a moments peace. She wanted it to be over.

It was late that night and all three of the children were in bed when Liz allowed herself to settle on the couch with a book, a blanket, and a glass of wine, and cry. She had been trying to call Red all afternoon but none of his phones picked up. She couldn't get in contact with Dembe or Kate, Samar hadn't heard anything about him in over a month, there as nothing on Mossad's radar. She had even called Ressler but he hadn't heard as much as a peep from Reddington in two weeks. Liz knew two weeks was closer then the six weeks since she'd spoken to him, but it was still a long time and he could be anywhere. Finally she had called Cooper and found out that Red had been spotted in New York just three days before, by one of the ages on the new task force. She'd thanked him and hung up, forcing herself to make dinner and put her children to bed before she let go.

Now, sitting on the couch she let it out, silently cursing him for leaving and not letting her know he was safe. Finally she dragged herself to bed, collapsing into sleep almost as soon as she hit the pillow, her face buried in Red's pillow.

Around 3 AM the silent alarm tripped and Liz was out of bed in an instant, silenced gun in her hands. She padded softly through the house, stopping to glance at the security camera display in the kitchen as the alarm was disabled. There a was a familiar shape just inside the door as she made her way slowly out of the kitchen.

“Red?” she whispered, recognizing his hat in the dim light, her gun still trained on the shadow.

“Oh, Lizzy, I've missed you,” she heard him sigh, his voice quiet, but unmistakeable. The next moment she was wrapped tightly in his arms.

“It's over, Lizzy, it's all over,” Red said tiredly, kissing her forehead as he held her shoulders. “I am now officially retired.”

“Really?” No more disappearing in the middle of the night, no more missions, no more guns, money, none of it?” she asked, wide eyed.

“Nothing. We can move wherever you want and we can stay there for the rest of our lives. I promise.”

“Oh, Red, I've been waiting so long to hear that,” Liz sighed, collapsing against his chest and holding him tight while his arms crushed her to him. “I'm so mad at you, but it can wait until morning.”

Red chuckled, tightening his arms. “I'd have to agree, my dear Lizzy, after all, we haven't seen each other in six weeks.”

She chuckled when she pulled back and saw the glint in his eyes.

“Should we practice for number four?” he asked with a twinkle of mirth and she shook her head, laughing quietly.

“Oh no, Red, no, I am not doing that again. Red put me down!” she laughed as he ignored her words and scooped her up, carrying her to their bedroom.

“Lizzy, my darling Lizzy, don't you think it would be wonderful if-”

“No, Red,” she laughed as they collapsed on the bed. “Not now. Ask me again when we're settled somewhere that we'll stay for the rest of our lives.”

“You know I'll give you the world, Lizzy,” Red whispered reverently, still left breathless by her beauty, by the fact that after ten years she still wanted him.

“Red, you've already given me the world. Now will you give me an orgasm or ten?”

Red choked on his laughter and Lizzy grinned, plucking his hat from his head and tossing it across the room, happy her husband was home for good, forever.

 

 

_For who are we to say,_

_When we have come this long, long way,_

_For this, our day, so long delayed,_

_I hold you up, this light of day._


End file.
